CNN's GUT CHECK | for May 2, 2014 | 5 p.m.
– n. a pause to assess the state, progress or condition of the political news cycle

Obama: U.S., Germany united in sanctioning Russia for Ukraine crisis …As growing Ukrainian violence turned deadly Friday, President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged to seek harsher sanctions against Russia if Ukraine doesn't stabilize in time for elections this month. Obama said any further sanctions on Russia would target specific sectors of the Russian economy, but he would not go into detail. He did say, however, that "the idea that you're going to turn off the tap" on all energy trade between Russia and Europe was "unrealistic." – Nick Paton Walsh, Michael Martinez and Victoria Butenko